Amata ni wa nui kasanenedo karagoromo omou kokoro wa chie ni zo arikeru - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

あまたには縫ひ重ねねど唐衣
思ふ心は千重にぞありける

Roma-ji: Amata ni wa nui kasanenedo karagoromo omou kokoro wa chie ni zo arikeru
English Translation: Though not many times
have I sewn and layered it,
this fine Chinese robe,
the heart that thinks of you
is folded a thousandfold.
Meaning: Though I have not sewn many layers into this fine robe, the heart that thinks of you is folded a thousand times over.
Commentary: Book Six Parting Poems 327

Headnote: "When Tachibana no Kin'yori was appointed Governor-General and went down, and Toshisada's stepmother, a Senior Handmaid, held a farewell party, sent attached to the robes"
The poet says that though the robe given has not been sewn in many layers, the heart that thinks of the traveler is layered a thousandfold. Setting the layers of the robe against the layers of the heart, it conveys a depth of feeling beyond the quantity of the gift. According to the headnote, when Tachibana no Kin'yori went down as Governor-General of Dazaifu, Toshisada's stepmother, a Senior Handmaid, held a farewell party and sent this attached to robes, and Tsurayuki seems to have composed it on her behalf.
The author, written as Tsurayuki, is Ki no Tsurayuki. The leading compiler of the Kokinshū, he wrote its Kana Preface and the Tosa Diary, and he is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "amata ni wa," means "in many layers."
Second line, "nui kasanenedo," means "though I have not sewn and layered it," with "ne" the perfective form of the negative auxiliary "zu" and "do" concessive.
Third line, "karagoromo," is a fine robe, referring to the robes given. Following 326, the preceding poem, it is a parting poem with a gift of fine robes.
Fourth line, "omou kokoro wa," means "the heart that thinks of you."
Final line, "chie ni zo arikeru," means "is layered a thousandfold," with "zo" resolved by the attributive "keru." "Kasane" in the second line and "chie" form a pair.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Shui Wakashu
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